Provided is a load drive device with high stability (linearity) and a control method thereof capable of continuing a normal operation without stopping the load drive device even when a reverse current is temporarily detected with a specific inductive load in the load drive device in which a plurality of inductive loads are connected in parallel.

Provided is a load drive device with high stability (linearity) and a control method thereof capable of continuing a normal operation without stopping the load drive device even when a reverse current is temporarily detected with a specific inductive load in the load drive device in which a plurality of inductive loads are connected in parallel.

A resettable bipolar switch sensor is disclosed which comprises a bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor, a reset coil, an ASIC switch circuit and a power reset circuit. The bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor comprises a substrate and a magnetoresistive sensing arm located on the substrate. The magnetoresistive sensing arm is of a two-port structure composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensing unit strings arranged in series, parallel, or series-parallel. The magnetization direction of a free layer of a TMR magnetoresistive sensing unit is determined by an anisotropy field Hk, and together with the magnetization direction of a reference layer and the applied magnetic field, it can orient in an N or S direction. The reset coil is located between the substrate along with the magnetoresistive sensing unit, or it is located on a lead frame below the substrate. The direction of the reset magnetic field is either N or S. The ASIC switch circuit comprises a biasing circuit module, a reading circuit module, and an output circuit module. The power reset circuit is connected to the reset coil. This device has the advantages of low power consumption and small size in addition to the capability to set initial state of the switch sensor.

A current controlling element includes: a first magnetic core forming a magnetic circuit; a coil for generating a magnetic flux in the first magnetic core when energized; a second magnetic core arranged at a distance from the first magnetic core; and a magnetoresistive conductor arranged in a first air gap between the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core.

An integrated circuit of an embodiment includes: a logic circuit; and a switch circuit, the logic circuit including: a first memory; a look-up table circuit having a first output terminal; a first selection circuit having a first input terminal connecting to the first output terminal, a second input terminal receiving scan input data, and a second output terminal, the first selection circuit selecting one of the first and second input terminals and connect the selected one to the second output terminal; a flip-flop having a third input terminal connected to the second and third output terminals; and a second selection circuit having a fourth and fifth input terminals connected to the third output terminal and the first output terminal respectively, and a fourth output terminal, the second selection circuit selecting one of the fourth and fifth input terminals and connect the selected one to the fourth output terminal.

An integrated circuit of an embodiment includes: a logic circuit; and a switch circuit, the logic circuit including: a first memory; a look-up table circuit having a first output terminal; a first selection circuit having a first input terminal connecting to the first output terminal, a second input terminal receiving scan input data, and a second output terminal, the first selection circuit selecting one of the first and second input terminals and connect the selected one to the second output terminal; a flip-flop having a third input terminal connected to the second and third output terminals; and a second selection circuit having a fourth and fifth input terminals connected to the third output terminal and the first output terminal respectively, and a fourth output terminal, the second selection circuit selecting one of the fourth and fifth input terminals and connect the selected one to the fourth output terminal.

A resettable bipolar switch sensor is disclosed which comprises a bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor, a reset coil, an ASIC switch circuit and a power reset circuit. The bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor comprises a substrate and a magnetoresistive sensing arm located on the substrate. The magnetoresistive sensing arm is of a two-port structure composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensing unit strings arranged in series, parallel, or series-parallel. The magnetization direction of a free layer of a TMR magnetoresistive sensing unit is determined by an anisotropy field Hk, and together with the magnetization direction of a reference layer and the applied magnetic field, it can orient in an N or S direction. The reset coil is located between the substrate along with the magnetoresistive sensing unit, or it is located on a lead frame below the substrate. The direction of the reset magnetic field is either N or S. The ASIC switch circuit comprises a biasing circuit module, a reading circuit module, and an output circuit module. The power reset circuit is connected to the reset coil. This device has the advantages of low power consumption and small size in addition to the capability to set initial state of the switch sensor.

An integrated circuit of an embodiment includes: a logic circuit; and a switch circuit, the logic circuit including: a first memory; a look-up table circuit having a first output terminal; a first selection circuit having a first input terminal connecting to the first output terminal, a second input terminal receiving scan input data, and a second output terminal, the first selection circuit selecting one of the first and second input terminals and connect the selected one to the second output terminal; a flip-flop having a third input terminal connected to the second and third output terminals; and a second selection circuit having a fourth and fifth input terminals connected to the third output terminal and the first output terminal respectively, and a fourth output terminal, the second selection circuit selecting one of the fourth and fifth input terminals and connect the selected one to the fourth output terminal.

An integrated circuit of an embodiment includes: a logic circuit; and a switch circuit, the logic circuit including: a first memory; a look-up table circuit having a first output terminal; a first selection circuit having a first input terminal connecting to the first output terminal, a second input terminal receiving scan input data, and a second output terminal, the first selection circuit selecting one of the first and second input terminals and connect the selected one to the second output terminal; a flip-flop having a third input terminal connected to the second and third output terminals; and a second selection circuit having a fourth and fifth input terminals connected to the third output terminal and the first output terminal respectively, and a fourth output terminal, the second selection circuit selecting one of the fourth and fifth input terminals and connect the selected one to the fourth output terminal.

Methods and devices for reading and programming a state of a switch device are presented. The programming of the state of the switch device is performed by providing driving pulses to the switch device. The amplitude and the width of the driving pulses are a function of one or more of a) temperature of the switch device, b) desired state of the switch device, and c) operational time of the switch device. The described devices include a device to store the data demonstrating the functional relation between the amplitude and the width of the driving pulses and the temperature of the switch device. Such device can be a lookup table or an arithmetic logic unit (ALU). The disclosed switch devices can be PCM switches.